Air traffic at Moscow’s four major airports – Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky – was temporarily suspended overnight from Monday into Tuesday due to a suspected Ukrainian drone attack.
Both the Russian aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the airport closures as a result of the incident. According to Sobyanin, at least six drones were intercepted and neutralized before reaching the Russian capital.
A total of nineteen drones were reportedly detected, with one impacting an apartment complex. No injuries have been reported. Rosaviatsia halted flight operations at all four airports. This marks the second consecutive night that Russia has reported significant Ukrainian drone activity targeting the Moscow region.
Diversion
This incident also follows a previous disruption late last year. Back then, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo airports were forced to temporarily close their runways for several hours due to a drone attack. At that time, aircraft were diverted to other airfields.
The earlier attack resulted in one woman sustaining burns and two houses catching fire, according to the mayor. Prior Ukrainian drone strikes have primarily targeted non-civilian infrastructure. This latest event is described as the most substantial attack on the Russian capital since the conflict began.